Sarva Tirthankaronu Sankshipta Samanya Swarup

This document, titled "Sarva Tirthankaronu Sankshipta Samanya Swarup" (A Brief General Nature of All Tirthankaras) by Muni Tattvanandvijayji, outlines the exceptional qualities and characteristics shared by all Tirthankaras in Jainism. The text emphasizes that while all beings share common humanity, the results of past karma lead to different levels of spiritual attainment. Tirthankaras are described as the "Uttamotam Purush" (Supreme among the Supreme), possessing the Tirthankara Namakarma.

The text explains that even from the earliest stages of their spiritual journey, while in the unmanifested stage of karma, Tirthankara souls possess unique virtues that distinguish them from others. As they progress, their inherent qualities manifest in various forms across different categories of existence:

• Earth Element (Prithvikaya): They manifest as supreme gems like the Chintamani jewel or Padma Raga.
• Water Element (Apkaya): They appear as holy pilgrimage waters.
• Fire Element (Teukaya): They are seen as auspicious lamps.
• Air Element (Vayukaya): They manifest as the gentle, cool, and fragrant breezes of spring on mountains.
• Plant Element (Vanaspati Kaya): They appear as superior sandalwood trees, wish-fulfilling Kalpa trees, or other excellent trees and potent medicinal herbs.
• One-Sensed Beings (Ekendriya): They are found in special conch shells or precious stones.
• Two-Sensed, Three-Sensed, and Four-Sensed Beings: They manifest in their highest forms.
• Five-Sensed Non-human Beings (Pachendriya Tiryancha): They appear as the most excellent elephants or auspicious horses.

Subsequently, in their human birth, they attain right faith (Samyaktva) through advanced spiritual practices. With the complete confluence of the right time, place, and dispositions, they perform the twenty specific virtues of adoration and thus earn the Tirthankara Namakarma. This leads them to celestial abodes like Anuttara Vimana, where they experience supreme divine bliss.

Upon their final birth, they are born into the most pure and noble lineages. Their birth is heralded by their mother's experiencing fourteen auspicious dreams. Even in the womb, they possess perfect knowledge (Mati, Sruta, and Avadhi Jñāna). Wealthy gods deposit ownerless treasures at their homes. They and their mothers experience no pain or suffering during pregnancy, and the mother experiences prosperity, beauty, intelligence, strength, and virtues like compassion and devotion.

The father experiences immense joy, honor, and expansion of his lineage and fame. Upon the Tirthankara's birth, auspicious planets are in their highest positions, bringing light throughout the three worlds. Even hellish beings experience happiness for a short period. Gods rejoice, shower auspicious items, and praise the newborn. Celestial drums play spontaneously, and a fragrant, cool breeze blows. Fifty-six Dikkuamaris perform the birth rituals, and sixty-four Indras perform the birth consecration on Mount Meru, bringing immense peace and prosperity to the world.

This divine event pacifies animosities between beings, alleviates worldly suffering, and neutralizes malevolent forces. The earth yields abundant milk, ghee, and oils, plants flourish, and mines produce more precious metals and gems. The seas become calm and the water pure. All flowers become more fragrant, hidden treasures surface, and spiritual attainments become easier. Good sense and compassion arise in all beings, falsehood and unethical behavior cease, and the world experiences profound peace and prosperity.

Even in childhood, Tirthankaras possess extraordinary strength, are fearless, possess innate wisdom and skill in all arts, and have unparalleled beauty. Their speech, even if inarticulate, brings joy to all. They are free from attachment and possess true understanding of the nature of things.

Tirthankaras are born with perfect bodies, free from illness, sweat, and excretions. Their bodies are fragrant and their blood and flesh are pure. Their consumption and activities are imperceptible to ordinary senses, which are four of their innate perfections (atisayas).

In their youth, their beauty and grace are so captivating that even celestial beings are awestruck. Their physical attributes, such as their posture, form, complexion, gait, and constitution, are the best in the universe, due to the influence of specific karma. Their bodies are the abode of beauty, charm, radiance, and splendor, praised by celestial beings, dwellers of the netherworld, and humans alike. They possess an unparalleled combination of beauty, grace, gait, gaze, speech, demeanor, touch, hearing, magnanimity, depth, courage, composure, patience, kindness, steadfastness, virtuous conduct, truthfulness in thought, word, and deed, agreeableness, lordship, calmness, self-control, virtue, appreciation of virtue, detachment, gentleness, equanimity, fearlessness, and flawlessness.

These exceptional qualities make Tirthankaras supreme in the three worlds, earning them great renown and respect. They act with perfect discernment and are adept at righteous conduct. Despite having numerous reasons for pride like high birth, lineage, beauty, strength, and power, they remain untouched by ego. They understand the ephemeral nature of sensory pleasures and, despite enjoying vast kingdoms and wealth due to past karma, they remain detached and renounced.

They are not attracted to any worldly possessions or pleasures. Yet, they fulfill their duties in religion, wealth, and desire. When the time for liberation (Moksha) arrives, signaled by the Lokaantika deities, they prepare for renunciation. They perform the great annual charity, giving away desires items to all beings with equal compassion.

Following this, the entire earth is freed from debt. Indra and other celestial beings, aware of this auspicious time, arrive with their retinues and celebrate for eight days. Then, the Tirthankaras themselves renounce worldly life, their minds solely focused on liberation. They wander freely, endure hardships and adversies, and renounce all external and internal possessions, earning the title of Nirgrantha (ascetic).

They attain pure meditative states, culminating in Sukla Dhyana, and through the stages of spiritual purification, destroy the four destructive karmas (Ghatiya Karma). This leads to Omniscience (Kevala Jñana), enabling them to perceive all substances and their modifications.

Upon the destruction of Ghatiya Karma, the Tirthankara Namakarma ripens, bringing about their supreme glory. The text describes the elaborate preparations made by celestial beings for the Tirthankara's sermon assembly (Samavasarana), including platforms, enclosures, and decorations. The Tirthankara then ascends the platform and delivers a sermon in a universal language that dispels all doubts and guides beings towards the path of liberation.

They are the Lords of the Universe, saviors of the world, supreme due to their infinite virtues and powers, adorned with thirty-four perfections and eight supreme symbols of state (Pratiharyas). Their speech, possessing thirty-five qualities, brings joy to all beings. They are free from eighteen imperfections and are always accompanied by millions of devoted gods. Though self-realized, they work for the welfare of the world.

The text emphasizes the importance of meditating on Tirthankaras who are free from attachment and possess these qualities. Their perfections are categorized as four innate, eleven resulting from karma destruction, and fifteen created by celestial beings. The eight supreme symbols of state are described as the Ashoka tree, celestial flower-showers, divine music, beautiful fans, a noble seat, an aura, celestial drums, and three umbrellas, all inspiring immense joy.

Tirthankaras are rightly called the "Devadhideva" (God of Gods) due to their thirty-four perfections, eight supreme symbols, thirty-five qualities of speech, freedom from eighteen flaws, and victory over the enemies of desire, hatred, and delusion. Their accumulated virtues bring them supreme glory in the three worlds, and they illuminate the world with the light of right understanding, dispelling the darkness of ignorance and delusion. They destroy ignorance, reveal the true nature of reality, and enlighten countless beings.

At the end of their lifespan, they destroy the remaining four karmas through Sukla Dhyana and attain Moksha in the highest point of the universe. They do not ascend further as there is no existence above that realm, nor do they descend as they have no weight. They are called Siddhas and experience an infinitely superior, natural, and transcendental bliss compared to any worldly pleasure.

Upon their liberation, the sixty-four Indras, aware of this through their divine knowledge, arrive with their retinues to perform the final rites with fragrant substances and celebrate eternally. The Tirthankara's soul, from time immemorial, is unique and distinct from other souls. Their departure from heaven, birth, worldly life, renunciation, omniscience, and liberation are all extraordinary. Thus, Tirthankaras are supreme in every way among all worldly beings, bringing happiness to the universe and possessing the power to attain and bestow the immutable state of liberation upon all fortunate beings.